STUART — A small airplane made an emergency landing Saturday afternoon on a golf course in Stuart, Martin County Sheriff's Office officials said.Deputies got a call at 4:07 p.m. for the landing involving a single-engine plane at the Miles Grant Country Club in the 5100 block of Southeast Miles Grant Road, sheriff's spokeswoman Christine Christofek said.Witness Ted Pasternack, 69, said he and his neighbors heard a loud bang, went outside and saw the plane headed directly toward the clubhouse. He saw the plane make a slight right turn and skid on the grass on the 10th hole near the clubhouse, right in front of the tee-off area."(The engine) must've backfired," he said. Christofek said there was no damage to the plane.Nearly a half-dozen neighbors went to the scene after the plane landed, Pasternack said. No golfers were on the hole at the time, he said.He said about two or three men were on the plane and all exited the plane when he got there.

Pasternack, who has lived on Miles Grant Road near the 14th fairway for four years, said he talked to the pilot and that he seemed quiet, somber and controlled."I think he did a great job of landing and saving everyone's lives. It could've been worse," Pasternack said.No injuries were reported and it's unknown where the plane was coming from or going to, Christofek said.Pat Tully, general manager for the country club, was inside the clubhouse with his staff preparing dinner for their residents when the incident happened. He didn't witness the landing, but said the plane was still sitting on the golf course in front of the dining room about 7 p.m."He did everything correctly and made a safe landing. It's amazing," Tully said. "I think our golfers do more damage on the golf course then he did."Martin County Fire Rescue and the Federal Aviation Administration also were at the scene. The cause of the incident is under investigation by the FAA, Christofek said.Source: http://www.tcpalm.com

The plant just announced layoffs. It’s time to think about a new career path, and there might be a few dollars available for retraining.Meanwhile, Great Lakes Airlines is considering Modesto to be among the places to offer commercial passenger service with its 30-seat turbo prop planes. It just needs a few good pilots to fly them – 10 or so to make it pencil out.No problem. Just enroll in a flight school, get your pilot’s license, train alongside an experienced pilot and you’ll be shuttling people from Modesto to Los Angeles in no time, right?After all, for roughly $1,500 you can be trained and licensed to drive a semi-rig down Highway 99 by logging 160 hours in just four to eight weeks. Certainly, aviation requires greater and more extensive training, but learning to fly commercial aircraft is doable, right?Uh, not really.

Not unless you’ve got gobs of money, lots of time on your hands, and don’t mind being paid on par with a pizza maker as a co-pilot after you’ve spent all that money (hundreds of thousands of dollars) and time (1,500 hours) to get the job.When The Bee’s Kevin Valine first began reporting that Modesto is among the three cities being considered for expansion by the small regional airline, the BYOP (bring your own pilots) element seemed pretty hokey. But the lack of pilots who meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s qualifications is very real and problematic for small regional airlines trying to link small markets to the bigger ones.Why the shortage? Several reasons, but none with more impact on the industry than an FAA ruling in 2013 that changed everything. It stemmed from a 2009 crash near Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 49 people, and was blamed on pilot/co-pilot fatigue and error. The FAA responded by demanding co-pilots log 1,500 hours of total pilot time (including instructional), up from 250 hours. Then they must fly 1,000 more hours before they can become captains who, in 2009, averaged $67,000 in earnings for the smaller airlines. The co-pilot in that case made only $23,900 flying 75 hours a month, according to The New York Times.The new rules triggered a dramatic turnaround from a few decades ago, when a would-be pilot couldn’t hire on with the airlines for a different reason.“I was planning on becoming an airline pilot,” said Bill Zoslocki, who has been a licensed small-craft pilot for more than 30 years. “But the pilots coming out of the Vietnam War were getting the jobs.”Military pilots are among the exceptions within the new rules, allowing them to co-pilot with 750 hours of flying time. But, Modesto Airport Manager Mark Germanowki said, the military is focused on retaining many of its pilots, thus keeping them in the service instead of having them available to commercial carriers.“We’re not seeing them flooding the markets,” he said.Three or four decades ago, the smaller carriers didn’t have to compete against shippers including FedEx, UPS and DHL for pilots, as they do now. And when the smaller carriers’ pilots build up their hours, the large commercial airlines can pay better and lure them away.“It’s created a huge pilot shortage,” Zosclocki said.When Great Lakes executives visited Modesto last week, they met with a dozen pilots, Germanowski said. But out of the 12, only three will be interviewed. The rest fall short in one or more areas. Modesto hasn’t had passenger service since 2014.Dave White, executive director of Opportunity Stanislaus, found himself not in the usual position of finding retraining opportunities for displaced workers but instead looking for certified commercial pilots who live in the area.“Our job is to identify current pilots who are recently retired or nearly retired who are looking for the right kind of opportunity, and are licensed to fly the (Embraer EMB 120) Brasilias (planes),’ White said. “Maybe someone in their 50s who’s been flying coast to coast and tired of it, who doesn’t want to spend so much time away from home. They can be home for dinner, or at least just an overnight.”They don’t all have to come from Modesto, White said, but will need to be found within California.Long term, it will take more rules revisions or perhaps training subsidies to develop a deeper pool of up-and-coming pilots who can train alongside the veterans and eventually take their places as captains. Without a military background, the financial incentive to become a commercial passenger plane pilot just isn’t there.“We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars of training at this point,” Zoslocki said. Those kinds of training dollars aren’t available.Ultimately, the new pilot program involves finding older pilots.Source: http://www.modbee.com

GREENSBORO — The imposing Caterpillar dump truck could have flattened Kevin Baker’s small Dodge sport utility vehicle with hardly a bump for the truck’s driver.But Baker, the executive director of Piedmont Triad International Airport, knows how to thread these acres like the proud owner of a new homesite. And he slipped quickly past the towering truck on the muddy road.PTI, which hosted North Carolina’s first passenger service as Lindley Field in 1930, has become a midsize airport, with 847,000 passengers in 2016 and 146.3 million pounds of cargo.But this land is the airport’s future.Baker was driving through a network of roads on what is becoming a unique economic development site in the state, if not the nation: about 1,000 undeveloped acres with direct access to a thriving commercial and passenger airport’s runways.The N.C. Department of Transportation is putting the final touches on a bridge that will cross the new Interstate 73 and connect the airport’s western runway to this land. And companies that use that land will be members of an exclusive group in the Triad — only companies that need direct access to a runway.

Baker reaches a muddy hill that overlooks the bridge, nothing but a sturdy concrete square at the moment that crosses the rough dirt lanes of this highway. Hills at either end of the bridge will be plowed down as the airport builds its 2,000-foot taxiway, likely when a major company comes to the development site. Baker said he hopes the hill on which he has parked will be graded soon for a major aerospace employer.This 280-foot bridge across the roadbed is capable of handling a jumbo jet as cars pass below through more than 200 feet of concrete box construction.The airport had known for years that the state DOT was planning to build a section of I-73 north through Guilford County, connecting on the west of the airport with N.C. 68 and eventually heading through Rockingham County, to the north.Once builders eliminate the segment of Bryan Boulevard to the west of the airport, only one road will separate the western runway from the new development land — I-73.The I-73 segment near the airport is expected to be opened later this year.With that plan in mind, the airport bought hundreds of acres, including a golf course, for future development.But it couldn’t build a taxiway from its runways to that land until the DOT built a new road — and a bridge that is large and flat enough to hold airliners rolling across that four-lane road.So three years ago Baker and members of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority board of directors persuaded the DOT to begin building the bridge early to match the road schedule.Airport officials have been busy since construction began in 2014, planning the future of its land.The airport authority also has gone through the tedious work of finishing an environmental impact statement required by the Federal Aviation Administration before the first prospect can look at developing the land.And to anticipate every possibility from small employers to a major aircraft manufacturer with thousands of workers, the authority has drawn up 75 potential development plans. That’s right — 75.“We’re in a really good position for development of a project of any size,” Baker said. “It’s entirely and completely flexible. It’s important when a prospect comes along we have a game plan in place.”Getting the environmental impact study and the bridge out of the way now before the interstate is finished makes the property available far sooner than it would have been if airport officials had waited.“If you wait until a project comes along, you’ve just added two years. If you’ve got to design and build a taxiway, you’re adding years,” he said.“I don’t know that there’s another fully functional airport that has a similar piece of property ready for development,” said Brent Christensen, the president and chief executive officer of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, the city’s chief economic recruitment group.Baker said the companies most appropriate for the airport land will fall into three primary categories: Those that repair and overhaul airplanes, those that build airplanes and those that make major components for aircraft.“What we’re really looking at is companies that really need to be on the airfield,” Christensen said. “That’s a little bit more of a bull’s-eye than just having to hit the target.”PTI already has two major aerospace companies that have expanded rapidly and, Baker said, airport officials want to be sure they have plenty of room because space is getting tight on the airport’s east side. That east side is the home of Honda Aircraft and HAECO Americas, the biggest employers at the airport. To the north, FedEx Express employs about 500 people.HAECO, an aviation maintenance and overhaul company, is building a fifth hangar. After that is finished, the company will occupy 120 acres, with only about 20 acres left for expansion.Honda Aircraft occupies 130 acres, with 50 acres left for expansion.Because the airport owns and leases that land to those companies, it’s crucial to have more land available if those companies should want to expand further, Baker said.But in a competitive market, how many other companies seriously are looking for airport property?Christensen said that Honda has proven that companies are buying business jets.Honda Aircraft has spent the past 10 years developing and bringing to production its $4.5 million jet, which seats up to seven people. Honda employs more than 1,700 people, according to 2015 figures, in its research and development, maintenance and production operations at its PTI world headquarters.And, Christensen said, military aircraft companies and others are expanding their aerospace operations. In the future, he said, Greensboro may have its own specialized representative to meet with companies in the aerospace industry.Not all aerospace companies need an airport, of course. GE Honda Aero Engines, for example, makes engines for the HondaJet in Burlington, then trucks them to the manufacturing plant at the airport.But the airport already is benefiting from marquee names in aerospace. Such names as Honda, HAECO, FedEx Express — which operates an air cargo center — and Cessna — with a large service center — give the airport a high profile in the aerospace industry.“Those brands certainly speak volumes in the marketplace about our area of North Carolina,” Christensen said.Baker, already confident that this plan will succeed, is not one for self-congratulation. He said he is worried his supply of land will run out. He said it’s time to start searching for the next available land near the airport.“That’s what’s starting to keep me awake at night,” Baker said. “What comes after the 1,000 acres?”Story and photo gallery: http://www.greensboro.com

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA128 14 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, January 28, 2017 in Charleston, WVProbable Cause Approval Date: 04/10/2017Aircraft: CESSNA 210, registration: N59196Injuries: 1 Uninjured.NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.The pilot reported that, during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions, as he “expected” to touch down, he reduced engine power. The airplane ballooned, followed by a hard landing and a bounce. During a subsequent second bounce, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane then veered left, exited the runway, and came to a stop nose down.The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.The pilot landed on runway 23, and the reported the wind was 260° at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and runway excursion.

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA12814 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, January 28, 2017 in Charleston, WVAircraft: CESSNA 210, registration: N59196Injuries: 1 Uninjured.NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.The pilot reported that during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions, as he "expected" to touch down he reduced engine power. He further reported that the airplane ballooned, followed by a hard landing and a bounce. During a subsequent second bounce, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane then veered left, exited the runway, and came to a stop nose down.The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.The pilot reported there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.The pilot landed runway 23, and reported the wind as 260° at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots.

CHARLESTON, WV — Yeager Airport’s runway was temporarily closed for about an hour as crews responded to an incident during a landing Saturday afternoon.Just before 5 p.m. Saturday a Cessna 210 piloted by Charleston City Councilman Tom Lane was involved in the incident during a landing, according to a news release from Yeager Airport.Lane was not injured.Source: http://wchstv.comA Charleston city councilman flew a plane that was involved in an incident at Yeager Airport, causing the runway to be shut down for about an hour Saturday.As Tom Lane was landing just before 5 p.m., the aircraft “went down on its nose,” said Yeager spokesman Mike Plants. Lane reportedly suffered no injuries.Plants said he couldn’t provide many details of the incident because, with all incidents, it would need to be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.Plants also said the weather was windy at the airport around the time of the incident.- Source: http://www.wvgazettemail.comCessna 210L Centurion, M & L Aeronautics LLC, N59196: Accident occurred March 19, 2016 at Myrtle Beach International Airport (KMYR), Horry County, South Carolina

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA West Columbia FSDO-13

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA13514 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, March 19, 2016 in Myrtle Beach, SCProbable Cause Approval Date: 08/16/2016Aircraft: CESSNA 210L, registration: N59196Injuries: 3 Uninjured.NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff with the flaps and landing gear retracted, a total loss of electrical power occurred and that he immediately turned back to the departure airport. The landing gear, which is extended and retracted by hydraulic actuators powered by an electrically driven hydraulic power pack, was disabled due to the electrical failure, so the pilot attempted to manually pump the gear down via the emergency gear extension handle; however, after about 10 pumps, it felt like there was no hydraulic pressure in the system. He tried to pump the gear down for about 20 minutes before he realized that the main landing gear (MLG) was not going to extend, and he subsequently landed the airplane with the landing gear unlocked. The pilot said that the landing was smooth and that the MLG initially held the support of the airplane but that it then collapsed. The airplane then skidded to a stop on the runway.Examination of the engine revealed that the loss of electrical power resulted from the alternator’s primary wire being separated from its terminal due to corrosion. Examination of the airplane revealed that one of the MLG actuators had sustained impact damage and was leaking a small amount of hydraulic fluid. No other mechanical issues with the landing gear system were observed. The Pilot’s Operating Handbook recommends that the fluid level in the hydraulic power pack housed within the control pedestal be checked using the dipstick/filler cap every 25 hours and that, if the fluid level is at or below the ADD line on the dipstick, hydraulic fluid should be added. The hydraulic fluid level was examined several days after the accident, and it was observed at the ADD level. The pilot stated that he did not check the hydraulic fluid level before the accident flight but that he did check it the day before and that the level was “ok” at that time. However, given that the pilot was unable to manually extend the landing gear, there likely was insufficient hydraulic fluid in the system to provide the pressure required to manually extend the landing gear. The reason for the lack of hydraulic fluid could not be determined based on the available evidence.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:A complete loss of electrical power, which resulted from the separation of an alternator wire due to corrosion. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the emergency landing gear extension system due to a lack of hydraulic fluid, which resulted in insufficient pressure to extend the landing gear.On March 19, 2016, at 1050 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N59196, sustained substantial damage when the main landing gear collapsed during a precautionary landing at the Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The private pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private corporation and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the airport at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at MYR at 1001 and was destined for Hilton Head Island Airport (HXD), Hilton Head, South Carolina.The pilot stated that he performed a thorough preflight inspection and engine run-up utilizing the appropriate checklists before he departed and everything was normal. About 10 minutes after takeoff, with the landing gear and flaps fully retracted, the pilot noticed the airplane began to lose electrical power and contacted air traffic control to let them know he wanted to return to MYR. The pilot said he was cleared to return and shortly after he lost all electrical power. The adult passenger then called the control tower via a cell phone and was cleared to land. The landing gear, which is extended and retracted by hydraulic actuators powered by an electrically-driven hydraulic power pack, was disabled due to the electrical failure, so the pilot had to manually pump the gear down via the emergency gear-extension handle. The pilot said he attempted to pump the landing gear down, but the main landing gear would not fully extend. Only the nose wheel extended to what appeared to be the fully down and locked position.The pilot said it would normally require about 45-47 pumps of the emergency gear extension handle to fully extend the landing gear; however, after about 10 pumps, it felt as if there was no hydraulic pressure in the system and it "didn't seem normal." The pilot tried to pump the gear down for about 20 minutes before realizing he would have to land with unlocked landing gear. The pilot said the landing was smooth and the main landing gear held the support of the airplane for a while before they collapsed and the rear of the airplane bounced on the ground. The airplane skidded to a stop resulting in substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The belly of the fuselage, main landing gear, and left wing tip were also damaged. According to first responders, the left wing was leaking fuel and there was a small hydraulic leak coming from about 1-foot behind the nose wheel.A postaccident examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the electrical failure was due to the alternator's primary wire being corroded and broken off of the terminal. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed the last annual was completed in March 2015, at an engine total time of 1,015.5 hours. There were no entries that the alternator had been repaired in the last 12 months and the pilot reported no mechanical issues prior to the accident flight.A mechanic, who was on scene shortly after the landing and had recovered the airplane, stated that one of the main landing gear actuators had sustained impact damage and was leaking a small amount of hydraulic fluid. He did not observe any mechanical issues with the landing gear system other than the damaged actuator. The airplane's last annual inspection was completed in March 2015, at an airframe total time of 4,103.2 hours. There was a maintenance entry on November 12, 2015, for the hydraulic system accumulator and right main gear door actuator, which were removed and repaired. The landing gear was tested after the repair and a leak check was performed. The pilot said there were no issues with the landing gear hydraulics after the work was performed. He also stated that he did not test the emergency gear extension system after this repair and had not practiced any manual gear extensions in the airplane in several years.According to the airplane's pilot operating handbook, page 7-11, LANDING GEAR SYSTEM, "Hydraulic system fluid level may be checked by utilizing the dipstick/filler cap, on the power pack, behind a snap-out cover panel on the right side of the control pedestal. The system should be checked at 25-hour intervals. If the fluid level is at or below the ADD line on the dipstick, hydraulic fluid should be added." According to the FAA inspector, who checked the hydraulic fluid level several days after the accident, noted it was at the ADD level. The pilot stated that he did not check hydraulic fluid level before the accident flight but did check it the day before and the level was "ok." The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, instrument airplane. His last FAA third-class medical was issued on March 15, 2016. The pilot reported a total of 1,149 total hours, of which, 327 hours were in the accident airplane.

NTSB Identification: ERA16LA135 14 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, March 19, 2016 in Myrtle Beach, SCAircraft: CESSNA 210L, registration: N59196Injuries: 3 Uninjured.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On March 19, 2016, at 1020 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N59196, sustained substantial damage when the main landing gear collapsed during a precautionary landing at the Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The private pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private corporation and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the airport at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at MYR at 1001 and was destined for Hilton Head Island airport (HXD), Hilton Head, South Carolina.The pilot stated that he performed a thorough preflight inspection and engine run-up utilizing the appropriate checklists before he departed and everything was normal. About 10 minutes after takeoff, with the landing gear and flaps fully retracted, the pilot noticed that he began to lose electrical power and contacted air traffic control to let them know that he had an alternator failure and wanted to return to MYR. The pilot said he was cleared to return to MYR and shortly after he turned back to the airport, he lost all electrical power. The adult passenger called the control tower via a cell phone, who in turn, cleared him to land. The pilot said he attempted to pump the landing gear down with the emergency gear extension handle, but the main landing gear would not fully extend. Only the nose wheel extended to what appeared to be the fully down and locked position.The pilot further described that it typically requred about 45-47 pumps of the emergency gear extension handle to move the gear into the down and locked position; however during the accident flight, after about 10 pumps he could sense there was no hydraulic pressure in the system and it "didn't seem normal." The pilot continued to try and pump the gear down for about 20 minutes before he realized that the main gear was not going to extend and he would have to land with unsecure landing gear. The pilot said that the landing was very smooth and the main landing gear held the support of the airplane for a while before they both collapsed. The airplane skidded to a stop resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. The belly of the fuselage was also damaged and there was no damage to the propeller blades.The airplane was retained for further examination.

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) A small aircraft made an emergency landing at the Myrtle Beach International Airport on Saturday.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a Cessna C210 aircraft made an emergency landing on runway 18/36 around 10:50 a.m. Saturday. The aircraft had departed MYR and was headed to Hilton Head Island, but turned around when it experienced a problem with it’s alternator. The plane’s landing gear collapsed as it landed back at MYR.Airport Spokesman Kirk Lovell said three people were on board when the plane landed and they all deplaned. Their current conditions are unknown.Lovell said the FAA gave the approval for the plane to be removed from the runway.No takeoffs or landings were allowed while the plane was on the runway. Three flights were diverted, one to Wilmington International Airport, and two to Charleston International Airport. At least two flights were delayed from leaving MYR.The airport is back on a normal schedule as of 1:45 PM Saturday.Original article can be found here: http://wbtw.com

A small aircraft made an emergency landing at the Myrtle Beach International Airport Saturday morning after the plane lost electrical power, Lt. Christian Sliker with Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue said.At about 10:30 a.m. the plane was about two mile from the MYR when it lost power and had to make an emergency landing and had to do so without its landing gear properly extended, officials said.EMS crews were on standby awaiting the plane’s arrival, and one Horry County Fire Rescue ambulance was on scene, along with jetport rescue crews.No information has been provided about who how many people were on board or if there were injuries.Original article can be found here: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com

Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue Lt. Christian Sliker said a small aircraft had lost all electrical power a few miles out from Myrtle Beach International Airport Saturday morning. He said it landed just before 11:00 a.m. without the landing gear fully extended.As of 10:28 a.m. the plane was about two miles out from the airport and had lost all electrical power and was attempting to land at MYR. Sliker said it is not a commercial airplane.Emergency crews were on standby awaiting the plane's arrival. Sliker said after it landed the incident was handled by jetport fire rescue. There is no word on how many people were on board.

STOCKTON - Early morning fog in the Central Valley is a problem for flights into and out of Stockton Metropolitan Airport, and officials are hoping to aggressively pursue funding from the Federal Aviation Administration for a new landing system.The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved upgrading the airport's lighting and landing system a legislative priority on Tuesday.Airport executive director Harry Mavrogenes said a system upgrade could cost as much as $5 million, and the hope is the FAA would fund the majority of improvements.He said the most pressing reason for an upgrade is to keep flights into and out of the airport from being delayed or diverted to other hubs."We have a cargo service which operates four flights a day," Mavrogenes told supervisors Tuesday. "Early-morning flights have been a problem due to the weather this season, and the fog, so the cargo company has told us, they're moving their early morning flights to Sacramento for now."Mavrogenes said visibility on the airport's runway in the early morning is limited, and seven flights have been either delayed or diverted.Staff conducted a study of weather conditions at the airport and found there are no serious fog conditions after 11 a.m., he said.Deputy airport director Ron Elliott said the airport's current Category I landing system allows pilots the ability to land with a 200-foot ceiling and only a half-mile of visibility in foggy conditions.An upgrade to Category II would allow pilots to land with a 100-foot ceiling and a quarter-mile of visibility in harsh weather conditions."So it's a huge upgrade," Elliott said. "Especially in the type of tule fog we have that actually moves across the fields."Mavrogenes said typically the FAA would acquire a new landing system, then install and maintain the equipment.In order to ensure the airport can have a new system installed as soon as possible, however, Mavrogenes suggested the county acquire the equipment on its own, then have the FAA install and maintain it.The whole process to acquire, install and get the new system fully operational would take as much as five years, he said."We want to make sure we keep that service," Mavrogenes said. "Having this system and pressing the FAA to fund it, I think, is going to be very critical for our future in almost everything we do, from domestic to international flights, as well as flights that happen in the late evening and early morning."Airport administration intends to list the system upgrade as a One Voice priority for the San Joaquin Council of Governments' 2017 trip to Washington, D.C., from April 30 to May 4.Source: http://www.recordnet.com

ALBANY — Two people were uninjured when a small plane experienced a landing gear malfunction while attempting a landing at the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport around noon Saturday.According to Albany Police Department spokesperson Phyllis Banks, the pilot of the Mooney M20C reported to airport officials that he was flying into the SWGA Regional Airport from the McCollum Airport located in Cobb County.As he approached the main runway to land, the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned.The report did not identify either the pilot of the aircraft or its occupants.Clearance was granted and a local wrecker company assisted with the removal of the plane, according to an APD report, which initially noted that additional Delta flights might possibly be affected. However, two pilots later landed their craft on a secondary runway.The small aircraft was removed from the main runway, which is now open for inbound and outbound flights.Source: http://www.albanyherald.com

ALBANY, GA - A local wrecker company assisted in removing a 1969 Mooney M20C aircraft from the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport runway.According to the Albany Police Department, a pilot reported he was flying into the airport from the McCollum Airport in Cobb County on Saturday.Officials said that as he approached the main runway, the landing gear malfunctioned.There were two people on board but nobody was injured.Personnel received clearance from the National Transportation Safety Board to have the plane removed from the runway.Two Delta flights that were scheduled to land at SWGA Regional Airport on Saturday used a secondary runway.Source: http://www.walb.com

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.Additional Participating Entity:Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office: Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaAviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfInvestigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdmshttp://registry.faa.gov/N3659Z Location: Georgetown, DEAccident Number: ERA17LA097Date & Time: 01/28/2017, 1400 ESTRegistration: N3659ZAircraft: PIPER PA22Aircraft Damage: DestroyedDefining Event: Fire/smoke (non-impact)Injuries: 1 MinorFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - PersonalOn January 28, 2017, about 1400 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, N3659Z, was destroyed after it experienced an in-flight fire following takeoff from Delaware Coastal Airport (GED), Georgetown, Delaware. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the pilot, prior to departing GED, he checked the engine oil level, performed a visual inspection of the engine compartment and an engine run-up with no anomalies noted. After departing runway 28, the airplane reached 1,400 feet, and the pilot noticed "thick" smoke coming from behind the instrument panel and then the glareshield. The pilot attempted to return to GED and opened the vent on the left door to evacuate smoke and allow him to search for a runway to land. He then noted flames by his feet and legs, and while "sideslipping" the airplane, burning portions of the roof lining began to fall on him. The airplane continued to descend, and during the subsequent landing roll, the pilot reduced the throttle and mixture to shut down the engine. He pulled on the brake handle; however, the airplane did not slow. The pilot proceeded to egress while the airplane was in motion. The airplane came to rest in a grass area off the right side of runway 4.Initial examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage, empennage, and right wing were consumed by fire. The left wing was partially consumed by fire. The engine remained attached to the fuselage and the propeller remained attached to the engine.According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the airplane was manufactured in 1960 and registered to the pilot on June 13, 1990. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-A2B, a 150-horepower engine. According to the maintenance logbooks, the airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed on January 1, 2017, at a total time of 3,740.5 hours, about 2 operational hours prior to the accident.According to the Piper PA-22 Owner's Manual, the airplane was equipped with two 18-gallon fuel tanks located in the wings, which drained individually according to the position of the fuel selector valve on the left forward cabin wall. "The main fuel strainer, through which all fuel going to the carburetor flows, is located on the lower left engine side of the firewall…The engine primer pump on the right side of the instrument panel takes fuel from the main gascolator and pumps it directly to all four cylinders of the engine."According to an NTSB fire protection engineer who examined the wreckage, the pilot's description of the fire in the accident sequence was consistent with a liquid fuel-fed fire. Several sections of the airplane fuel system were consumed by fire. The fuel selector valve was thermally damaged and its function could not be verified. The output fuel line from the fuel selector to the firewall was consumed by fire. The input fuel line from the right-side wing tank was also consumed by fire. The engine primer pump was not located with the wreckage. The primer pump fuel lines were consumed by fire inside the cockpit. Several small sections of copper primer pump fuel lines were located on the firewall with melted ends. The fuel primer lines in the engine compartment remained intact and did not appear to leak. The main fuel line from the fuel strainer to the carburetor, which was located on the left side of the engine compartment, was found loose on the carburetor side. The lower left portion of the engine cowling exhibited more thermal damage than the right side. Pilot InformationCertificate: PrivateAge: 59, MaleAirplane Rating(s): Single-engine LandSeat Occupied: LeftOther Aircraft Rating(s): NoneRestraint Used: 4-pointInstrument Rating(s): NoneSecond Pilot Present: NoInstructor Rating(s): NoneToxicology Performed: NoMedical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/LimitationsLast FAA Medical Exam: 05/26/2016Occupational Pilot: NoLast Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/06/2015Flight Time: 1082 hours (Total, all aircraft), 870 hours (Total, this make and model), 1037 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)Aircraft and Owner/Operator InformationAircraft Make: PIPERRegistration: N3659ZModel/Series: PA22 150Aircraft Category: AirplaneYear of Manufacture: 1960Amateur Built: NoAirworthiness Certificate: NormalSerial Number: 22-7556Landing Gear Type: TailwheelSeats: 4Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/01/2017, AnnualCertified Max Gross Wt.: 2000 lbsTime Since Last Inspection: 2 HoursEngines: 1 ReciprocatingAirframe Total Time: 3742.4 Hours at time of accidentEngine Manufacturer: LYCOMINGELT: C91 installed, not activatedEngine Model/Series: O-320-A2BRegistered Owner: On fileRated Power: 150 hpOperator: On fileOperating Certificate(s) Held: NoneMeteorological Information and Flight PlanConditions at Accident Site: Visual ConditionsCondition of Light: DayObservation Facility, Elevation: SBY, 52 ft mslDistance from Accident Site: 22 Nautical MilesObservation Time: 1354 ESTDirection from Accident Site: 180°Lowest Cloud Condition: Thin Overcast / 5500 ft aglVisibility: 10 MilesLowest Ceiling: Overcast / 5500 ft aglVisibility (RVR):Wind Speed/Gusts: 14 knots / 21 knotsTurbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /Wind Direction: 240°Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /Altimeter Setting: 29.77 inches HgTemperature/Dew Point: 7°C / -6°CPrecipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No PrecipitationDeparture Point: GEORGETOWN, DE (GED)Type of Flight Plan Filed: NoneDestination: LUSBY, MD (MD50)Type of Clearance: NoneDeparture Time: 1400 EDTType of Airspace:Airport InformationAirport: DELAWARE COASTAL (GED)Runway Surface Type: AsphaltAirport Elevation: 53 ftRunway Surface Condition: DryRunway Used: 28IFR Approach: NoneRunway Length/Width: 3109 ft / 75 ftVFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing Wreckage and Impact InformationCrew Injuries: 1 MinorAircraft Damage: DestroyedPassenger Injuries: N/AAircraft Fire: In-Flight and On-GroundGround Injuries: N/AAircraft Explosion: NoneTotal Injuries: 1 MinorLatitude, Longitude: 38.687500, -75.359167 (est)NTSB Identification: ERA17LA09714 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, January 28, 2017 in Georgetown, DEAircraft: PIPER PA22, registration: N3659ZInjuries: 1 Minor.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On January 28, 2017, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150, N3659Z, was destroyed after it experienced an inflight fire after takeoff from Delaware Coastal Airport (GED), Georgetown, Delaware. The private pilot incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.According to the pilot, prior to departing the airport, he checked the engine oil level, performed a visual inspection of the engine compartment, and an engine run-up with no anomalies noted. After departing runway 28, the airplane reached 1,400 feet, and the pilot noticed "thick" smoke coming from behind the instrument panel and then the glareshield. The pilot opened the vent on the left door to evacuate smoke and allow him to search for a runway to land the airplane. He then noted flames by his feet and legs, and while "sideslipping" the airplane to a runway at the departure airport, the roof lining began to fall on him. The airplane continued to descend, and during the subsequent landing roll, the pilot reduced the throttle and mixture to shut down the engine. He pulled on the brake handle; however, the airplane did not slow. The pilot proceeded to egress while the airplane was in motion, and incurred minor injuries. The airplane came to rest in a grass area to the right side of runway 4.An examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage, empennage, and right wing were consumed by fire. The left wing was partially consumed by fire. The engine remained attached to the fuselage and the propeller remained attached to the engine.The airplane was retained for further examination.

Georgetown – Delaware State Police are currently investigating the incident in which an aircraft caught fire shortly after taking off from a Georgetown airport yesterday afternoon, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Jeffrey R. Hale.Hale said that at approximately 2:07 p.m. yesterday, Saturday, January 28, 2017, as Donald Byrne, 59, of Lusby, MD, had just taken off in a single engine plane from the Sussex County Airport located at 21553 Rudder Lane, Georgetown.After reaching a height of approximately 1400 feet, the plane’s cockpit began to fill with smoke. Byrne was able to bring the plane back to the airport, where just prior to landing, fire became visible in the cockpit. Upon landing, Byrne jumped from the plane while it was still in motion. The plane came to rest in a grassy area a short distance away and became fully engulfed in flames.Donald Byrne was removed from the scene by ambulance and transported to Beebe Healthcare where he was treated for his non-life threatening injuries.The investigation into this incident by the Delaware State Police and the Federal Aviation Administration is on-going. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.Just after 2:00 p.m. today, Saturday, January 28, 2017 Georgetown Fire Company was dispatched to the Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, Delaware.A 60-year-old Calvert County, Md., pilot is recovering from minor injuries after he had to declare an emergency shortly after takeoff from Delaware Coastal Airport near Georgetown, where he safely landed and exited the aircraft before it became engulfed in flames, according to Sussex County EMS.The incident occurred shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, when the pilot, part of a group of recreational aviators visiting the area for the day, declared an emergency within moments of taking off from the airport’s crosswind runway.The pilot turned the aircraft around, landing it on the runway, where it rolled to a stop in a grass infield. The pilot exited as flames consumed the Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer. Crews from Georgetown, Ellendale, Millsboro, and Milton fire companies, along with units from Sussex County EMS, Georgetown EMS and Delaware State Police, responded to the emergency, which also touched off a wind-swept brush fire along the runway.It took fire crews approximately an hour to get the fire under control. Damage to the infield was limited to an approximately five- to 10-acre area. The pilot was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment of minor injuries. The airport was closed to air traffic during the response. Airport officials have reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board for investigation.Early reports that the plane had crash were unfounded.

A Maryland pilot was injured Jan. 28 when an aircraft caught fire shortly after taking off from Sussex County Airport in Georgetown.Donald Byrne, 59 of Lusby, Md., had just taken off in a Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer plane from the airport shortly after 2 p.m., and was reaching 1,400 feet when the plane's cockpit began to fill with smoke, said Delaware State Police spokesman Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale.Byrne flew back to the airport and just before he landed, fire became visible in the cockpit. Once he landed, he jumped from the plane while it was still moving. The plane came to a rest in a grassy area a short distance away, where it then became fully engulfed in flames, Hale said.Byrne was taken to Beebe Healthcare and treated for nonlife-threatening injuries.An investigation by the Delaware State Police and the Federal Aviation Administration is ongoing. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, Hale said.Source: http://www.capegazette.com

A 60-year-old Calvert County, Maryland pilot is recovering from minor injuries after he had to declare an emergency shortly after takeoff from Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown this (Saturday) afternoon, where he safely landed and exited the aircraft before it became engulfed in flames.The Sussex County Emergency Operations Center says the incident happened around 2 p.m., when the pilot, part of a group of recreational aviators visiting the area for the day, declared an emergency within moments of taking off from the airport's crosswind runway.The pilot turned the aircraft around, landing it on the runway, where it rolled to a stop in a grass infield; the pilot then exited as flames consumed the 1960 Piper Tri-Pacer.Firemen from Georgetown, Ellendale, Millsboro and Milton, along with units from Sussex County EMS, Georgetown EMS and Delaware State Police, responded to the emergency, which also touched off a wind-swept brush fire along the runway; it took fire crews approximately an hour to get the fire under control.The pilot was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment of minor injuries.Airport officials have reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board for investigation.Source: http://www.delaware1059.com

Units from the Georgetown Fire Company responded to a call for an aircraft emergency at the Delaware Coastal Airport on Saturday.Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale with the Delaware State Police said the single engine aircraft landed after fire reportedly broke out on board. The cause of the fire is as of now unknown."The aircraft was able to land safely after the fire broke out," Hale said.Hale said one person on board suffered very minor injuries, and has been taken in for treatment.According to the fire company's live run log, units were deployed to the runway at 2:09 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28.Source: http://www.delmarvanow.com